Grooved Case Construction for an Electronic Device

• US 20160316872A1
• Filed: 04/27/2016
• Published: 11/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: World Richman Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: World Richman Manufacturing Corporation
• Inventors: Huang, Edison, Sirichai, Sarahut, Mulhern, Iordanka Koleva
• Granted Patent: US 9,820,543 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/00 Receptacles for purposes not provided for in groups A45C1/00-A45C9/00 specially adapted for toiletry or cosmetic equipment A45D29/20, A45D44/18; travelling sewing kits A45F3/48
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2011/002 for portable handheld communication devices, e.g. mobile phone, pager, beeper, PDA, smart phone
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2011/003 for portable computing devices, e.g. laptop, tablet, netbook, game boy, navigation system, calculator
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2200/15 Articles convertible into a stand, e.g. for displaying purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1633 Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3888 Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/185 Improving the rigidity of the casing or resistance to shocks

Abstract

A grooved case construction selectively encases and displays an electronic device, and includes a grooved device-holding mechanism and either a panel assembly or a kickstand element made structurally cooperable with the device-holding mechanism. The device-holding mechanism is sized and shaped to removably receive an electronic device, and provides an anterior device-receiving section and a posterior component interface. The posterior component interface includes at least one, but preferably a plurality of component-receiving grooves for providing a grooved pattern. Both the panel assembly and the kickstand couple to the posterior component interface via the grooved pattern and may be so coupled in any number of orientations for providing the user with any number of options for displaying the device-holding mechanism. When outfitted with a panel assembly, a cover panel may selectively either cover the anterior device-receiving section or provide support for the device-holding mechanism.

Claims

1. A case construction for selectively encasing and displaying an electronic device, the case construction comprising:

a device-holding mechanism, the device-holding mechanism being sized and shaped to removably receive an electronic device, the device-holding mechanism comprising an anterior device-receiving section, a posterior component interface, a peripheral mechanism edging, a mechanism length, a mechanism width, and a mechanism depth, the posterior component interface comprising at least one component-receiving groove, each component-receiving groove being characterized by a deep channel and a superficial slot, the deep channel having a channel width and the superficial slot having a slot width less than the channel width; and

a multi-section panel assembly, the multi-section panel assembly comprising a first panel section, a second panel section, and a third panel section, the first panel section for primarily interfacing with the posterior component interface and comprising a first panel length, a first panel width, a first interface-attachment structure, and a first panel thickness adjacent the first interface-attachment structure, the second panel section flexibly interconnecting the first and third panel sections and comprising a second panel length and a second panel width, the third panel section for primarily covering the anterior device-receiving section and comprising a third panel length, and a third panel width;

the first interface-attachment structure being receivable in the deep channel such that the first panel section adjacent the first interface-attachment structure is simultaneously receivable via the superficial slot for connecting the multi-section panel assembly to the device-holding mechanism, the third panel length and third panel width being equal to the mechanism length and mechanism width respectively for selectively covering the anterior device-receiving section, the peripheral mechanism edging being supportable atop the third panel section for selectively displaying the anterior device-receiving section, the case construction thus for selectively encasing and displaying the electronic device as received in the anterior device-receiving section.

2. The case construction of claim 1 wherein the at least one component-receiving groove extends lengthwise relative to the mechanism length for selectively displaying the anterior device-receiving section in a landscape orientation relative to the multi-panel assembly.

3. The case construction of claim 2 wherein the first panel length is lesser than the mechanism length and at least one component-receiving groove comprises an abbreviated groove length, the abbreviated groove length being abbreviated relative to the mechanism length such that the first panel length may be positioned equidistant from the peripheral mechanism edging defining the mechanism length.

4. The case construction of claim 3 comprising at least two component-receiving grooves, each component-receiving groove comprising an abbreviated groove length measured from opposing peripheral mechanism edging defining the mechanism length.

5. The case construction of claim 4 wherein the multi-section panel assembly is reversible and comprises a first side and a second side, the first and second sides comprising differing physical characteristics, the multi-section panel assembly being connectable to the posterior component interface in either of the at least two component-receiving grooves for selectively displaying the first side or second side.

6. The case construction of claim 5 wherein the posterior component interface and the first panel section comprise magnetically attractive materials, the magnetically attractive materials for retaining the first panel section in flush engagement with the posterior component interface when the third panel section selectively covers the anterior device-receiving section.

7. The case construction of claim 1 wherein the first panel section adjacent the first interface-attachment structure is flexible for enhancing pivotal movement of the first panel section relative to the posterior component interface and enhancing display of the electronic device as received in the anterior device-receiving section.

8. The case construction of claim 1 comprising at least two component-receiving grooves, the at least two component-receiving grooves comprising at least one lengthwise groove and at least one widthwise groove.

9. The case construction of claim 8 comprising at least two lengthwise grooves and at least two widthwise grooves for forming a grid-patterned posterior component interface.

10. The case construction of claim 8 wherein the first interface-attachment structure is receivable in the deep channel of the at least one widthwise groove such that the first panel section adjacent the first interface-attachment structure is simultaneously receivable via the superficial slot of the at least one widthwise groove for connecting the multi-section panel assembly to the device-holding mechanism for enabling portrait orientation display of the device-holding mechanism relative to the multi-section panel assembly.

11. The case construction of claim 9 wherein the third panel section comprises a groove-engaging tip element, the groove-engaging tip element being cooperable with a select component-receiving groove, the third panel section thereby being usable as a prop support for the device-holding mechanism, the prop support for enabling enhanced angled display of the device-holding mechanism upon a support surface.

12. The case construction of claim 11 wherein the tip element provides a second interface-attachment structure, the second interface-attachment structure being receivable in a select deep channel, the first and second interface-attachment structures thus for coupling the multi-section panel assembly to the device-holding mechanism at two attachment groove sites.

13. A case construction for an electronic device, the case construction comprising:

a device-holding mechanism, the device-holding mechanism being sized and shaped to removably receive an electronic device, the device-holding mechanism comprising an anterior device-receiving section and a posterior component interface, the posterior component interface comprising at least one grooved pattern, the at least one grooved pattern being characterized by at least one deep channel and at least one superficial slot, the at least one deep channel having a channel width and the at least one superficial slot having a slot width less than the channel width.

14. The case construction of claim 13 comprising a multi-section panel assembly, the multi-section panel assembly comprising at least a first panel section and a second panel section flexibly connected to the first panel section, the first panel section comprising a first interface-attachment structure, the first interface-attachment structure being receivable in the at least one deep channel for anchoring the multi-section panel assembly to the device-holding mechanism, the second panel section being sized and shaped for covering the anterior device-receiving section, the device-receiving mechanism being supportable atop the second panel section for selectively displaying the anterior device-receiving section.

15. The case construction of claim 13 comprising a kickstand element, the kickstand element being sized and shaped for stowed receipt in the at least one grooved pattern.

16. The case construction of claim 15 wherein the kickstand element comprises three slot-insertable sides and one channel-insertable side, the channel-insertable side comprising a channel side diameter, the channel-insertable side being receivable in the at least one deep channel, the channel side diameter being greater than the slot width for anchoring the kickstand element to the posterior component interface, the three slot-insertable sides each comprising a uniform slot side diameter, the uniform slot side diameter being cooperable with the slot width for receipt in the at least one grooved pattern, and removal from the at least one grooved pattern for providing a prop support for the device holding mechanism.

17. A case construction an electronic device, the case construction comprising:

a device-holding mechanism, the device-holding mechanism being sized and shaped to removably receive an electronic device, the device-holding mechanism comprising an anterior device-receiving section and a posterior component interface, the posterior component interface comprising at least one grooved pattern, the at least one grooved pattern being characterized by at least one linear groove, and at least one end-interconnecting groove, the at least one linear groove having opposite ends, the at least one end-interconnecting groove extending intermediate the opposite ends for connecting said ends.

18. The case construction of claim 17 comprising a panel assembly, the panel assembly comprising a first panel section flexibly connected to a second panel section, the first panel section comprising a first interface-attachment structure, the first interface-attachment structure being attachable to the at least one linear groove, the second panel section being sized and shaped for covering at least a portion of the anterior device-receiving section, the device-holding mechanism being supportable via at least the first panel section for selectively displaying the anterior device-receiving section.

19. The case construction of claim 17 comprising a kickstand element, the kickstand element being sized and shaped for stowed receipt in the at least one grooved pattern.

20. The case construction of claim 19 wherein the kickstand element comprises a kick out portion and a linear channel side, the linear channel side being attachable to the at least one linear groove, the kick out portion being receivable in the at least one grooved pattern via the end-interconnecting groove, the kick out portion being removable from the at least one grooved pattern for providing a prop support for the device holding mechanism.